Corn-popper.



G. R. TAYLOR.

CORN POPPEB.

APPLIOATION FILED NOV. 14, 1911.

1,050, 180, Patented Jan. 14,1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET l.

(Ch/r172 R, Tajymr.

G. R. TAYLOR.

CORN POPPER.

APPLICATION FILED 110v. 14, 1911.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Patented Jan. 14, 1913.

CARL B. TAYLOR, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO.

CORN-POPPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 14, 1913.

Application filed November 14, 1911. Serial No. 660,270.

To all whom. it may concern Be it known that I, CARL R. TAYLOR, acitizen of the United States, residing at C0- lumbus, in the county ofFranklin and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Corn- Poppers, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to corn poppers adapted for use in popping largequantities of corn.

The objects of the presentinvention are, first, to provide a popper intowhich the corn to be popped is fed and passed through the popper properduring theprocess of popping, second, to separate the popped corn fromthe unpopped corn during the time it is being popped, and third, to feedthe corn at different rates of speed during its passage through thepopper proper. These objects together with other objects readilyapparent to'those skilled in the art I attain by the constructionillustrated in the accompanying drawings, although my invent-ion may beembodied in a Variety of other mechanical forms, the constructionillustrated being chosen by way of example.

In the accompanying drawings1*igure l is a side elevation, showing thediiferent parts properly assembled and some of the parts broken away.Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing a portion of the inner andouter gauze cylinders in proper relative relation with reference to eachother. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical section. Fig. l is a transversesection, taken on line 11, Fig. 1.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the accompanying drawing, 1 and 2 are the standards or supportsadapted to carry the various parts of the popper proper,\vl1iclisupports may be substantially of the form shown in Fig. 4, and may besecured at their bottom or lower ends to a suitable foundation, or thesupports may be properly tied together, so as to constitute a frame. The:onstructioi 1 of the frame or standard is simply mechanical and suchparts do not pertain or have to do with my present invention, exceptthat some suitable frame work must necessarily be present to properlyconstitute a corn popper such as my invention pertains or belongs to. Inthe standard 1 and 2 is properly journaled the shaft-3. which shaft isprovided with suitable means for rotating said shaft, such as thepulley, or its equivalents.

To the shaft 3 is securely attached the drum or short cylinder 5, whichmay be nonperforated or perforated as desired. This drum or cylinder 5is formed of a length less than the length of the concentric cylindershereinafter described. To the shaft 3 is attached the conveyer 6 whichconveyer ro-- tates with the shaft.

Around the spiral or conveyer blade 6 is located the gauze cylinder 7,which gauze cylinder is made of wire and of such a mesh that unpoppedcorn can pass in either direction through the openings. Around thecylinder 7 is located the outer cylinder 8, which outer cylinder isformed of Wire gauze and of a mesh of a fineness sutficient to preventthe grains of unpopped corn from passing through or in other words thisouter cylinder is formed of material such as commonly used in hand cornpoppers. The outer cylinder 8 is larger in diameter than the diameter ofcoarse meshed cylinder 7 and is so formed for the purpose of providing aspace between the inner periphery of the outer cylinder 8, and the outersurface of the inner cylinder 7.

For the purpose of providing means for properly feeding the pop corn,the outer cyl-' inder 8 is extended forward or beyond the forward end ofthe cylinder 5, as best illustrated in Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the

inner cylinder 7 is extended at its rear end some distances beyond therear end of the outer cylinder 8, for the purpose hereinafter described.Between the cylinders 5 and 7 and the outer cylinder 8 is located thespiral blade or conveyer 9, which conveyer 01, blade 9 is for thepurpose of feeding the unpopped and popped corn toward the delivery endof the popper proper as the various parts above described rotate. It isWell understood that in popping co n it must necessarily be heated for apredetermined time and to a certain degree of heat, and before thepopping takes place. This preheating should be comparatively slow so asto prevent the scorching of the corn and in order to provide for thisinitiative heating the portion of the conveyer blade at its forward endis of less pitch than the central or rear portion of the conveyer blade.This lesser pitch of the front or forward end of the conveyer blade 9being to give a slow movement of the pop corn when it first en ters thecorn popper. It is well understood that in popping corn after it hasbeen brought to a certain degree of heat the popping action is rapid andconsequently it the proper movement of the unpopped and popped corn isnot brought about the popped corn is liable to become scorched andsometimes may be set afire and to prevent this injury the pitch of theblade 9 is increased so that the popped and unpopped cornwill be movedthrough or toward the delivery end of the popper proper in a rapidmanner.

The operation of the corn popper is as follows: Rotary motion isimparted to the shaft '3, together with the different parts carried byand rotatable with said shaft; this rotary motion being of such a degreethat the unpopped corn will be moved slowly enough to become properlyheated and after being popped will not be held against the inner surfaceof the outer cylinder 8 by centrifugal force. The inner cylinder 7 isprovided with a longitudinal opening 10 from which one edge of thelongitudinal opehing is extended tangentlally the gauze strip 11, theouter edge of'which is attached in any convenient and well known mannerto the inner surface of the outer cylinder 8.

ills the cylinders 7 and 8 rotate the unpopped and popped corn will beagitated as it lies upon the inner surface at the bottom of the cylinder8, the agitation also being increased by the conveyor blade 9. After thecorn commences to pop the popped corn will be gathered and carriedupward by the extended strip 11, which occupies the space between theinner periphery of the outer cylinder and the outer surface of the innercylinder and as this strip is moved outward and over, the popped cornwill by gravity fall through the opening 10 into the inner cylinder andthence be conveyed to the delivery spout 12 by means of the conveyorblade 6.

It will be understood that it in the event any unpoppeol corn should beconveyed into the cylinder 7 through the opening 10 such unpopped cornwill pass through the meshes of said cylinder and find its way to theinner surfaces of the outer cylinder 8 but the popped corn will not passthrough the meshes of the inner cylinder '4", owing to the fact that themeshes are of a size to prevent the outward passage of the popped corn.It will be understood that as the inner and outer cylinders rotate andas the open space 10 comes at the bottom of the cylinder during itsrotation some of the poppedcorn will pass out through the opening 10,but owing to the fact that the strip 11 is located just behind theopening the popped corn will drop upon said strip and will again becarried up and dropped into the cylinder 'l. it is well understood thata certain percentage of the grains of pop corn are defective and willnot pop or in some instances some of the grains may not be brought tothe proper degree of heat and remain unpopped.- Such unpopped grain willfind their way through the meshes of the cylinder 7 and will be conveyedfrom the cylinder 8 by means of the conveyor blades 9 by whicharrangement the unpopped kernels of corn will be separated from theproperly popped grains.

For the purpose or providing means for feeding the pop corn into thecorn popper proper the l'ioppcr 13 is provided, into which hopper theunpopped corn is placed. The bottom of the hopper is provided with thefeed conveyor or blade 13, which feed conveyer or blade conveys the popcorn toward and into the feet spout ll which feed spout is extended ashort distance into the outer cylinder 8, and is located through theopening 15 formed in the end ll} of the cylinder 8.

F or the purpose of regulating the amount. of pop corn to be fed theshaft 3 is provided with the cone pulley l7 and the conveyor shaft 18 isprovided with the cone pulley 19 around which cone pulleys i7 and 19 islocated the driving belt 20, and by shifting the belt inoppositedirections will increase or decrease the speed of the conveyorshatt 18, thereby increasing or decreasing the amount of pop corn fed tothe corn popper durmg a certain length of time, by which arrangement theproper amount of pop corn can be fed to be properly cared for during thepopping process.

For the purpose of supplying heat, a gas burner 21 is provided, whichgas burner as shown consists of three pipes provided with apertures 22,which apertures are for the purpose of admitting the flame of burninggas, the supply of gas being regulated and the amountof heat regulatedby means of suitable valves 23. The gas burner is shown conventionallyand as shown it is connected to the supply pipe 2-1 by means of theunion coupling 25, but this construction may be varied. as the burnerwithin itself forms no specific part of the present invention, exceptthat a burner'or heater of some kind must necessarily be present.

For the purpose of properly connecting the strip 11 to the outercylinder 8 a metal strip 26 is provided, which strip may be soldered tothe gauze strip 11 and to the cylinder 8. Another object in providingthe metal strip 26 is to prevent the sticking of the popped corn at thepoint of attachment of said gauze strip 11.

For the purpose of better holding the inner edges of the conveyor blade9 in close contact with the inner cylinder 7, said inner edges may beand preferably are connected to the outer surface of said inner cylinderby soldering or otherwise. The manner of connecting the inner edges ofthe auger blade 9 is simply mechanical as the only object is to preventany springing of .the conveyer blade during its operation.

It is well understood that if grains of unpopped corn become lodged orconfined or held in the wire gauze while in a heated condition suchgrains are liable to pop during the time they are being held, therebycausing the popped grains to more rigidly adhere and when thus held theyare liable to be set afire, thereby communicating fire to the loosepopped corn contained in the cylinders 7 and 8. For the purpose ofbetter separating the popped corn fromthe un- Dopped corn the cylinder 7is preferably extended a short distance beyond the cyli der 8 so thatthe unpopped corn may drdb under the spout 12 or if desired, a secondspout (not shown) may be provided. It will be understood that after thecorn has been popped and delivered into the cylinder 7 it is importantto move the popped corn along or through said cylinder at a rapid rateand for this purpose the conveyer blade 6 is formed with a steep pitchso that as it rotates the popped corn will be moved in a rapid manner.It will also be understood that owing to the fact that the outerconveyer blade 9 is formed of different degrees of pitch the corn willbe moved slowly at the point or points where the conveyer blade isformed of less pitch, thereby allowing the corn to become properlyheated.

It will be understood by the construction of the popper proper, unpoppedcorn can be fed continuously and be carried forward in a proper mannerduring the time it is brought to the proper degree of heat to pop, alsoduring the period the popping is taking place and at the same timeseparating the popped corn from the unpopped corn, thereby saving thenecessity of stopping the machine at intervals. It will be understoodthat the feed should be so regulated that the proper amount of pop cornwill be fed, that is to say the pop corn should not be fed faster thanit can be properly popped and separated. In the drawings I have showncone pulleys whereby the feed may be regulated but it will be understoodthat other devices may be used without departing from the nature of myinvention.

It will be understood that by'providing the non-perforated cylinder 5that the pop corn before it is popped will not enter said cylinder, butduring the time it is moved toward the cylinder 7 it will becomesuilicient-ly heated to be popped, after which the popped corn will bepassed through the opening 10 and into the cylinder 7 as above.described. I

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a continuous corn popper, the com bination of concentricinner andouter cylinders, said inner cylinder consisting of noncorn to the outercylinder and means for feeding pop corn and popped corn longitudinallythrough the inner and outer cylinders and the inner cylinder formed of alength greater than the .outer cylinder.

3. In a corn popper of the class described, the combination of two wiregauze cylinders located concentrically with reference to each other andspaced from each other, the inner cylinder consisting -of perforated andnonp'erforated portions, the non-perforated portion located at theintake end of the outer cylinder and means for feeding the pop corn toand through the inner cylinder and toward its delivery end.

4:. In a corn popper of the class described, the combination of two wiregauze cylinders located concentrically with each other and spaced fromeach other, the inner cylinder consisting of non-perforated and wiregauze portions, said non-perforated portion located at the intake end ofthe cylinders, the wire gauze. portion of the inner cylinder providedwith a longitudinal opening and a strip leading from one longitudinaledge of the opening to and connected with the outer cylinder and meansfor feeding pop corn to and through the inner cylinder'and toward itsdelivery end.

5. In a corn popper of the class described, the combination of two wiregauze cylinders located concentrically with each other and spaced fromeach other, the inner cylinder consisting of non-perforated and wiregauze portions, said non-perforated portion located at the intake end ofthe cylinders, the wire gauze portion of the inner cylinder providedwith a longitudinal opening and a strip leading from one longitudinaledge' of the opening to and connected with the outer cylinder and meansfor feeding pop corn to and through the inner cylinder and toward itsdelivery end, and means forfeed- .ing pop cornbetween the outer cylinderand the inner cylinder, substantially as and for the purpose specified'6. In a corn popper of the class described, a suitable frame, a shaftjournaled in the frame, a conveyer blade secured to said shaft, aperforated outer cylinder secured to the periphery of the conveyerblade, said outer cylinder located concentrically with the innercylinder, the inner cylinder provided With a longitudinal opening and astrip extended from one edge of the longitudinal opening to the outercylinder, a c'onveyer blade located between the inner and outercylinders, said conveyer blade conme ian sisting of difierent degrees ofpitch, the portion having the lesser degree of pitch located at theintake end of the outer cylinder, sub- 15 stantially as and for thepurpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the above, I

have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence of two Witnesses.

L. ROBERT PAPE, R. H. Co'rTENm.

